Abrutyn, S. (2023).
Society and Mental Health.
Abstract
Since Kai Erikson’s landmark study of the devastation of five communities in West Virginia, sociology has leveraged the concept of trauma to describe certain social phenomena. Collective trauma came to refer to the destruction of social infrastructure and the ensuing negative mental health outcomes, while cultural trauma has come to describe the imposition of historical and ongoing attacks by a dominant group on the culture (broadly defined) of a group of people sharing a collective identity. The following article sketches out a theory of social trauma designed to bring these two types of sociological trauma together, highlight their similarities and differences, and unite them by grounding them in the neuroscience of (social) pain. The term trauma, borrowed from medical and psychological study, implies pain, but the sociological version of trauma is best understood as the collectivization and enculturation of social pain, or the evolved negative affective response to separation, rejection, exclusion, and isolation from cherished social objects including statuses. The article concludes by modeling the process by which an event transforms individual social pain into collective social trauma as well as the pathways through which social trauma becomes enculturated in a collective identity. Implications for the sociology of mental health follow.
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The article presents a unifying theory of social trauma, integrating the sociological concepts of collective trauma and cultural trauma. Abrutyn argues that both forms of trauma are rooted in social pain, an evolved emotional response to separation, rejection, exclusion, and isolation from valued social connections. He emphasizes that trauma fundamentally involves pain and notes that social pain activates the same neural pathways as physical pain, underscoring the deep human need for social bonds. In this framework, collective trauma arises from the breakdown of social infrastructure, leading to mental health challenges; for instance, Erikson’s (1976) study on the Buffalo Creek flood showed how community destruction left individuals feeling isolated and unsupported. By contrast, cultural trauma captures the long-term impact of historical and ongoing attacks on a shared identity, such as the trauma experienced by Indigenous populations due to forced displacement and assimilation.
To bridge these concepts, Abrutyn introduces social trauma as an overarching term that encompasses both collective and cultural trauma. He defines it as “the collectivized separation, rejection, isolation, and exclusion of a corporate and/or categoric unit,” resulting in affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses that become ingrained in a collective identity. Social pain is the connecting factor between the two traumas, with collective trauma focusing on the acute disruption of social infrastructure and cultural trauma emphasizing exclusion from cultural and social symbols. Abrutyn identifies several factors that shape social trauma’s impact: magnitude (the scale and suddenness of the trauma), extent (the geographic and demographic reach), temporality (the duration and potential for reactivation), and recovery (the availability of resources for healing).
This theory of social trauma has far-reaching implications for sociological research and community intervention. First, it calls for a structured exploration of social pain and affect, recognizing the profound effects of social pain on well-being. Second, Abrutyn’s framework sheds light on various social issues, from the opioid crisis and political polarization to mental health struggles in marginalized communities. Finally, understanding the dynamics of social trauma can help guide effective interventions for supporting traumatized communities and building resilience. Through impactful quotes, such as Wallace’s (2003) description of a ruined community as “the destruction of the whole world,” Abrutyn’s work vividly illustrates the critical role of social connection and belonging for individual and collective well-being. His theory provides a robust lens for examining the pervasive effects of social trauma on individuals and communities alike.
